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Test of the Professionals #1
The Adventure of the Flying Blue Pidgeon: Sherlock Holmes' London Through The Eyes of Scotland Yard
Lestrade panted, getting to his feet as the gang of Cheathams fell back. "Right now I can think of worse things than rescue by an amateur detective. My dear Lestrade, we're simply ensuring the fight is fair." Sherlock Holmes somehow dissuaded the truth of that by the way his lips were coiling up at the edges (without letting go of the pipe in his teeth). Perhaps it was because he was clearly in disguise as a seedy deckhand in Dutchman's sailing clothes. From behind him the little professional could see Dr. Watson, tarred like a sailor and armed with a wicked-looking blackthorn. "Well, then!", Lestrade crowed with his fist up and parallel to the looming swarm over the tavern, "Who is next? "
279 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 30, 2016
(Review originally posted on the John H Watson Society Website, hence the focus on Watson's role in the book.)
The second in Marcia Wilson’s series about Scotland Yard (the first being You Buy Bones, a book all Watsonians should look into because of its focus on Watson), The Adventure of the Flying Blue Pidgeon does not disappoint. This is a book that is clearly setting up for a series, a possibly a lengthy one, given that it begins in the early 1880s and gives us a glimpse at Moriarty and his maneuvers from the get-go.
The story focuses on Lestrade, and does incredibly well by him. He is depicted as competent above all else, with his approach to policework being less about the mind (such as Gregson and Holmes) and more about getting out and finding evidence. It is the difference between, if I may borrow from another book series, a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw- both approaches are useful, just different. Lestrade is granted a dignity he so often lacks in other stories, as is the rest of Scotland Yard. We have a number of Canon Inspectors and Constables appear and each of them has a unique personality and history that is consistent with what we see of them in the original stories. We also get a look at what policing in the 1880s was like, and suddenly it becomes clear both why Holmes doesn’t want to be a Yarder and why the Yard needs someone like Holmes from time to time. The thanklessness of being a policeman isn’t shied away from, even as we see our Inspectors doing their best to do right.
The mystery itself has multiple parts. We meet a new villain, who is sincerely awful and has a history with Lestrade. We have several different cases that the Yarders are working on, which come together in various ways, making it a fun read as you try to decide which cases are connected, if any, and how they are all connected. The author makes a point of setting up Moriarty as potentially involved in some way at the start of the book, making it as much about the Yarders as it is about the construction and unveiling of Moriarty’s Empire- something I am VERY excited to read about.
The lives and personalities of the Canon characters are perfection, but we also have a number of amazing original characters as well that weave together with familiar ones to create a full and rich world. The Cheatham family as a whole will intrigue anyone who enjoys complicated family dynamics; our new villain is quietly, charmingly frightening; and most importantly, we meet a new heroine, who is very worthy of joining the pantheon of Holmesian Heroines. Clea Cheatham is clever, hardworking, tough, and yet achingly vulnerable at various points in the novel.
Another thing I enjoyed had nothing to do with the writing or the story, but the illustrations. The author herself drew little pictures for the start of each chapter, as well as a full portrait at the very beginning of the book of members of the Yard. The illustrations are utterly charming, and truly add to the experience of the book.
Though the novel has a number of editing issues that sometimes detract from ones enjoyment, The Adventure of the Flying Blue Pidgeon isn’t one to miss. And if you don’t trust my word, trust our own “Marker,” David Marcum, who is quoted as saying “Marcia Wilson has discovered Scotland Yard’s Tin Dispatch Box” on the back of the book- high praise!
What About Our Watson?
While Watson isn’t as present in this book as he is in Wilson’s previous published work, he is still very much a part of this story. The Yarders like and appreciate Watson, and in many ways would prefer to consult with him rather than Holmes. He is the Yarders’ preferred doctor, whenever possible, because of his professionalism and willingness to be discrete. Watson is shown, however, to be more than just a professional associate; he is shown to be friendly with them, in particular Lestrade, who he sometimes visits for social reasons rather than medical or professional ones. The rapport they share is comfortable and warm, and it makes for interesting insights into who Watson is.
Watson is shown to contribute meaningfully to Holmes’ work as well, as Holmes defers to Watson’s medical expertise and values his insights. He is with Holmes throughout the investigation, even, at one point, dressed in a truly hilarious disguise that Holmes gave to him. He is deeply loyal to Holmes- sometimes frustratingly so, from the Yarders’ perspective, as he won’t tell tales out of school about Holmes- and their friendship is often reflected on by other characters, who don’t quite understand it but respect it all the same.
If a Watsonian decides to pick up this book, I would still recommend that you read You Buy Bones first, both for the continuity between the two and for the amount of Watson you’ll encounter, but this book will not disappoint if you want a good, capable, heroic Watson.
You Might Like This Book If You Like:
Canon Scotland Yard characters; lots of historical details; Moriarty machinations; workplace stories
The second in Marcia Wilson’s series about Scotland Yard (the first being You Buy Bones, a book all Watsonians should look into because of its focus on Watson), The Adventure of the Flying Blue Pidgeon does not disappoint. This is a book that is clearly setting up for a series, a possibly a lengthy one, given that it begins in the early 1880s and gives us a glimpse at Moriarty and his maneuvers from the get-go.
The story focuses on Lestrade, and does incredibly well by him. He is depicted as competent above all else, with his approach to policework being less about the mind (such as Gregson and Holmes) and more about getting out and finding evidence. It is the difference between, if I may borrow from another book series, a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw- both approaches are useful, just different. Lestrade is granted a dignity he so often lacks in other stories, as is the rest of Scotland Yard. We have a number of Canon Inspectors and Constables appear and each of them has a unique personality and history that is consistent with what we see of them in the original stories. We also get a look at what policing in the 1880s was like, and suddenly it becomes clear both why Holmes doesn’t want to be a Yarder and why the Yard needs someone like Holmes from time to time. The thanklessness of being a policeman isn’t shied away from, even as we see our Inspectors doing their best to do right.
The mystery itself has multiple parts. We meet a new villain, who is sincerely awful and has a history with Lestrade. We have several different cases that the Yarders are working on, which come together in various ways, making it a fun read as you try to decide which cases are connected, if any, and how they are all connected. The author makes a point of setting up Moriarty as potentially involved in some way at the start of the book, making it as much about the Yarders as it is about the construction and unveiling of Moriarty’s Empire- something I am VERY excited to read about.
The lives and personalities of the Canon characters are perfection, but we also have a number of amazing original characters as well that weave together with familiar ones to create a full and rich world. The Cheatham family as a whole will intrigue anyone who enjoys complicated family dynamics; our new villain is quietly, charmingly frightening; and most importantly, we meet a new heroine, who is very worthy of joining the pantheon of Holmesian Heroines. Clea Cheatham is clever, hardworking, tough, and yet achingly vulnerable at various points in the novel.
Another thing I enjoyed had nothing to do with the writing or the story, but the illustrations. The author herself drew little pictures for the start of each chapter, as well as a full portrait at the very beginning of the book of members of the Yard. The illustrations are utterly charming, and truly add to the experience of the book.
Though the novel has a number of editing issues that sometimes detract from ones enjoyment, The Adventure of the Flying Blue Pidgeon isn’t one to miss. And if you don’t trust my word, trust our own “Marker,” David Marcum, who is quoted as saying “Marcia Wilson has discovered Scotland Yard’s Tin Dispatch Box” on the back of the book- high praise!
What About Our Watson?
While Watson isn’t as present in this book as he is in Wilson’s previous published work, he is still very much a part of this story. The Yarders like and appreciate Watson, and in many ways would prefer to consult with him rather than Holmes. He is the Yarders’ preferred doctor, whenever possible, because of his professionalism and willingness to be discrete. Watson is shown, however, to be more than just a professional associate; he is shown to be friendly with them, in particular Lestrade, who he sometimes visits for social reasons rather than medical or professional ones. The rapport they share is comfortable and warm, and it makes for interesting insights into who Watson is.
Watson is shown to contribute meaningfully to Holmes’ work as well, as Holmes defers to Watson’s medical expertise and values his insights. He is with Holmes throughout the investigation, even, at one point, dressed in a truly hilarious disguise that Holmes gave to him. He is deeply loyal to Holmes- sometimes frustratingly so, from the Yarders’ perspective, as he won’t tell tales out of school about Holmes- and their friendship is often reflected on by other characters, who don’t quite understand it but respect it all the same.
If a Watsonian decides to pick up this book, I would still recommend that you read You Buy Bones first, both for the continuity between the two and for the amount of Watson you’ll encounter, but this book will not disappoint if you want a good, capable, heroic Watson.
You Might Like This Book If You Like:
Canon Scotland Yard characters; lots of historical details; Moriarty machinations; workplace stories
January 11, 2017
Last year, Marcia Wilson joined the Sherlockian mainstream with her wonderful debut novel You Buy Bones. Beginning just after the fateful meeting between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, it transformed the Scotland Yarders—Gregson, Bradstreet, and Lestrade—from mere foils to be outshone by Holmes into living, breathing characters in their own right. Since then, Ms. Wilson’s short stories have been featured in several MX Publishing anthologies, edited by David Marcum, and in Derrick Belanger’s anthology Beyond Watson.
Now she carries her saga forward to the autumn of 1883, as the Yarders investigate seemingly unrelated waterfront crimes (missing seamen, stolen flour barrels) linked to an agent of the master criminal who still lurks behind the scenes. Whereas Watson was as important as the Yarders to the plot of You Buy Bones, here the focus is on Inspector Geoffrey Lestrade. In Ms. Wilson’s hands, he becomes a full-fledged personality, not the one-dimensional character we met in Doyle. While not the smartest of the Yarders, “Inspector Plod” is truly (as Holmes admits) the best of them, due to his iron sense of ethics (for which he has paid a heavy price) and his grim determination to battle both criminals and his own limitations in the pursuit of justice. In Test, we learn of an incident in Lestrade’s past that forever darkened his relations with his family, as well as his career at Scotland Yard. An old enemy returns to devil him, serving as both the charming, heartless villain of the piece and a romantic rival. For Test is also the story of Lestrade’s meeting with Clea Cheatham, a young woman of independent mind and her own unusual family and backstory. Like the inspector’s, they are woven skillfully into the tale.
Underlying these delights of plot and character is some amazing historical research. Marcia Wilson has an encyclopedic knowledge of Victorian minutia; happily, her footnotes are helpful rather than intrusive. Osage orange trees, Krakatoa, mudlarks, and tie-mates all find their places in the story. A potato pie, we learn, can be an insult. There are even notes explaining Inspector Bradstreet’s strange invective. On another level, Ms. Wilson writes with compassion of the day-to-day perils of the London poor. We see far more of Watson as a doctor, and of Mrs. Hudson as a housekeeper, than we ever did in Doyle.
Readers who buy A Test of the Professionals should not expect a traditional Sherlock Holmes pastiche. Ms. Wilson does not tell her story with Victorian reserve; her intimate, informal style is in keeping with the rough-and-tumble lives led by the Yarders. Yet, devotees of the Master will find nothing to offend them, for the characters in Test are never incompatible with their originals. The idiosyncrasies of Holmes, and his interactions with Watson and the Yarders, are as familiar and delightful here as ever. The difference is that for her canvas of Victorian London, Marcia Wilson employs a more colorful palette and a broader brush than Conan Doyle’s. Such is her artistry that she enriches and fully brings to life the world he left us.
Now she carries her saga forward to the autumn of 1883, as the Yarders investigate seemingly unrelated waterfront crimes (missing seamen, stolen flour barrels) linked to an agent of the master criminal who still lurks behind the scenes. Whereas Watson was as important as the Yarders to the plot of You Buy Bones, here the focus is on Inspector Geoffrey Lestrade. In Ms. Wilson’s hands, he becomes a full-fledged personality, not the one-dimensional character we met in Doyle. While not the smartest of the Yarders, “Inspector Plod” is truly (as Holmes admits) the best of them, due to his iron sense of ethics (for which he has paid a heavy price) and his grim determination to battle both criminals and his own limitations in the pursuit of justice. In Test, we learn of an incident in Lestrade’s past that forever darkened his relations with his family, as well as his career at Scotland Yard. An old enemy returns to devil him, serving as both the charming, heartless villain of the piece and a romantic rival. For Test is also the story of Lestrade’s meeting with Clea Cheatham, a young woman of independent mind and her own unusual family and backstory. Like the inspector’s, they are woven skillfully into the tale.
Underlying these delights of plot and character is some amazing historical research. Marcia Wilson has an encyclopedic knowledge of Victorian minutia; happily, her footnotes are helpful rather than intrusive. Osage orange trees, Krakatoa, mudlarks, and tie-mates all find their places in the story. A potato pie, we learn, can be an insult. There are even notes explaining Inspector Bradstreet’s strange invective. On another level, Ms. Wilson writes with compassion of the day-to-day perils of the London poor. We see far more of Watson as a doctor, and of Mrs. Hudson as a housekeeper, than we ever did in Doyle.
Readers who buy A Test of the Professionals should not expect a traditional Sherlock Holmes pastiche. Ms. Wilson does not tell her story with Victorian reserve; her intimate, informal style is in keeping with the rough-and-tumble lives led by the Yarders. Yet, devotees of the Master will find nothing to offend them, for the characters in Test are never incompatible with their originals. The idiosyncrasies of Holmes, and his interactions with Watson and the Yarders, are as familiar and delightful here as ever. The difference is that for her canvas of Victorian London, Marcia Wilson employs a more colorful palette and a broader brush than Conan Doyle’s. Such is her artistry that she enriches and fully brings to life the world he left us.
May 8, 2017
Marcia Wilson has created the world of Sherlock Holmes and Doyle's Scotland Yard men. This is the world in which Dr. Watson wrote his stories, but now we have more than just Watson's viewpoint. Meet many of the characters from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. Minor and major characters return for more adventures. The detectives and their friends, foes and families come to life as the story unfolds in splendid detail. In this story Mr. Lestrade meets the lovely Clea Cheatham and her six large brothers. They are wrestlers and don't want a policeman talking to their sister! What will happen to friend Lestrade? We are also introduced to Mr. Jethro Quimper - Lestrade's arch enemy! What trouble will Quimper cause Lestrade and Clea? What is the horrible past between the Lestrade and Quimper families? How does this tie in to missing seamen, stolen lead from rooftops and a missing grain shipment? You will meet Mr and Mrs Bradstreet and their children, Mr and Mrs Gregson, Lestrade's landlady, Mrs Collins, Toby Irish (a mute street urchin) and many interesting new friends. Any fan of Sherlock Holmes adventures especially ACD canon and Granada will cherish Marcia Wilson Stories. Read this book and "You Buy Bones". You will love them.
January 20, 2017
If you read only one Sherlock Holmes novel this year, make it this one. You won't be disappointed.
Chronologically following on from Wilson's previous novel, 'You Buy Bones' (also recommended), we are led on a further voyage of discovery into the lives of those unsung heroes, the detectives of Scotland Yard, encountering familiar faces and meeting new ones. The storytelling is superb, the historical detail accurate and the settings skilfully woven. It's a joy to read such intelligent writing.
Read it - and if you haven't read 'You Buy Bones', read that too. It's first-rate.
Chronologically following on from Wilson's previous novel, 'You Buy Bones' (also recommended), we are led on a further voyage of discovery into the lives of those unsung heroes, the detectives of Scotland Yard, encountering familiar faces and meeting new ones. The storytelling is superb, the historical detail accurate and the settings skilfully woven. It's a joy to read such intelligent writing.
Read it - and if you haven't read 'You Buy Bones', read that too. It's first-rate.
August 27, 2017
Great re-read of a storyline that entangles with the Moriarty conspiracy in the original Sherlock Holmes' texts while giving you a new complicated romantic past for Lestrade.
However, this book is in desperate need of a copy editor. It really effected my ability to read the story without confusion. :(
However, this book is in desperate need of a copy editor. It really effected my ability to read the story without confusion. :(
December 18, 2024
Inspector Lestrade attempts to avoid the help of the amateur, Sherlock Holmes and he ends up being beaten and having Doctor tending to his wounds and it gets worse as time goes on.
June 18, 2017
If you don't read this book now, you will kick yourself later.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews